The present invention relates to an insulating enclosure for a container and more particularly to a light-weight multi-layer insulating enclosure for a container wherein the container may be any shape and construction and contains a substance to be maintained at a temperature other than the ambient temperature of the environment.
Insulating enclosures for containers are disclosed in the prior art. Strickland U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,279 shows an enclosure used to insulate containers. The formable, insulating enclosure has a pliable elongated substantially rectangular shaped cover member which is adapted to be positioned and formed around the exterior outer surface of the container. The outer protective layers of the Strickland device are formed of a nylon material which is selected because it is impervious to fluids and makes the interior thereof essentially water tight. The insulating layer is adapted to be formed around the periphery of the container such that one of the protective layers of the cover member is positioned between the insulating layer and the exterior outer surface of the container.
Larson U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,444 shows an insulating jacket for a beverage container. The Larson device includes an outer cover and an inner resilient insulating material which is lined with preferably a cloth material. A stitching at each of the top and bottom ends holds the various materials in place relative to one another. Two other types of covers for containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,455 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,245.
The present invention differs from the known prior art devices in important respects. Specifically, the present invention is designed to provide maximum insulation while still providing the feature of being light-weight. Maximum insulation is achieved in the present invention through the use of four layers of differing materials wherein each layer serves a specific purpose.